Luke Mijatovic is set to become the youngest U.S. male swimmer to compete at a World Championships since Michael Phelps in 2001.
Mijatovic, who turned 16 on April 22, made the world team as runner-up in the 400m freestyle at the Toyota U.S. Championships on Friday night.
He had to wait until the last day of nationals on Saturday for his place to become official due to roster limit rules.
Mijatovic broke national age group records for 15- and 16-year-olds in the 200m and 400m frees at nationals. In both events, he also swam faster than the national age group records for 17- and 18-year-olds, including Michael Phelps’ time in the 200m free from 2003.
SWIMMING: Results
Mijatovic, a rising high school junior from Pleasanton, California, was the second-youngest U.S. male swimmer at the 2024 Olympic Trials. His best finish at trials was 12th in the 400m free.
He currently holds 14 individual national age group records combining 25-yard pools and 50-meter pools and the 13-14 and 15-16 divisions.
Globally, Mijatovic holds the fastest 200m free time ever for somebody as young as him, according to World Aquatics’ database. Romanian David Popovici, the Paris Olympic gold medalist, swam a faster time at an older 16.
In the 400m free, only Australian legend Ian Thorpe has been faster at Mijatovic’s age, according to World Aquatics.
Ariarne Titmus won two swimming gold medals for Australia at Tokyo 2020 and at Paris 2024.
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